Sunday, June 4, 2017

Other times: Benedict XVI. had allowed that for the first time in 2009 that the Founder of the Franciscans of the Immaculate could say Mass in the Lateran Basilica, "the Mother of All Churches". Now there is Francis

(Rome) There is no end of the Calvary of Father Stefano Maria Manelli, the founder and until his dismissal, head of the Order of the Franciscans of Immaculata. Since July 2013, the young and, until then, flourishing, Order has been under the administration of a Commissar appointed by the Roman Congregation of Religious. Although four years have passed since, and the second Pontifical Commissioner has already overseen the prescription, there is still no official reason for the grave intervention in the Order. An alleged "Lefebvrianian deviation" was attributed to the Order. "What makes this all so comical today is that the Pope is ready to welcome the heirs of Marcel Lefebvre with a Personal Prelature into the Church," as the Vaticanist Marco Tosatti noted two days ago.

The Commissioner and a slander campaign

Tosatti sees "from the outside," a "variety" of reasons leading to the provisional administration of the Order: first the attack against the founder by a group of "young Turks" who wanted to take over the Order, "one of the most flourishing with vocations." Today the vocations must be imported, contrary to the Vatican directives, which provides training on location, from Nigeria), but then also for property, "na roba", the "reason".

P. Fidenzio Volpi, Pontifical Commissioner, 2013-2015

What Tosatti does not mention, however, is to be guessed at: that the Order which had changed with Pope Francis, and with the Motu proprio Summorum Pontificum, had changed from the new to the traditional form of the Roman Rite, and yet (or precisely for this reason) attracted numerous vocations while the "modern", "cosmopolitan" orders dried up. Benedict XVI held his protective hand over this extraordinary case among Catholic religious orders. With the new pope, the defeat of the Order began, as it was evidently a thorn in the eye.

The assumption of background touched upon by Tosatti in any case helps to understand the "angry slander campaign" which was unleashed against sisters of the Order because of alleged abuses. The starting point of the campaign in November 2015 was with Corriere della Sera, the flagship of the Italian "quality press". The alleged "scandal" led to investigations by the prosecutor's office, which concluded a year later and was unceremoniously archived. The media claims proved to be what one would call Fake News today.

"However, they will probably have a sequel to some newspapers and websites with severe financial consequences, because they are civilly faced with high claims for damages by the victims," ​​Tosatti said.

"Na' roba"

There are now fresh actions of the Roman Congregation of Religious. It is not so much about the Cardinal Prefect, the Brazilian João Braz de Aviz, but "about the secretary of the Congregation, the Franciscan José Rodriguez Carballo, who has a direct connection with the Pope," says Tosatti.

Carballo is one of the first personnel decisions of this pontificate. Pope Francis proclaimed him on April 6, not four weeks after his election, as Secretary of the Congregation of Religious. Until then, the Spaniard was Minister General of the Franciscan Order. As such, he is directly involved in the financial scandal that exploded in December 2014 and brought the general leadership of the Order to the brink of bankruptcy. The Swiss public prosecutor's office had seized accounts of the Franciscan Order in October 2014 because of the suspicion of money laundering. The money, several tens of millions of euros, had been invested in ill-fated companies, which are being investigated for illegal arms and drug trafficking. Nothing is known of consequences of any kind against Carballo in the Vatican.

This brings us to ",na roba", which is not insignificant in the Order of the Franciscans of Immaculata (canonically recognized in 1990, not to be confused with the Franciscans, founded 1210/1517). It has about 59 buildings, 17 properties, five photovoltaic plants and a series of banking accounts. The entire property, however, is not in the hands of the Order, since it has the vow of strict poverty, but in the hands of lay associations. The proceeds from the estate were given to the Order for its duties in pastoral care and mission.

When the Order was placed under the Commission, the first Commissioner, Father Fidenzio Volpi, a Capuchin, who died in office in 2015, had the property confiscated. The court then decided completely differently. The entire assets were released again and reunited with the lay associations.

As the Congregation of Religious could not get at the Order through the secular courts, it is now exerting pressure on the now 84-year-old founder of the Order, Father Manelli. Since the provisional administration, he has been under house arrest by the Vatican, "which in 2017 is in extremely bad taste," says Tosatti.

Recent actions of the religious congregation: the "Trap" and the demand

Diaconal consecration 2010

Recently, Father Manelli officially and in the name of the Pope was asked to renew his allegiance of loyalty and obedience to the Pope. The demand appears to be doubtful, since officially no reproaches have been made by the founder of the Order. This, however, has deprived him of the possibility of defending himself for whatever reason. Father Manelli did not contend, but renewed the required oath.

Two weeks ago, he received another letter from the Congregation of Religious. This time he was asked to make the entire property available to the Church, as mentioned above.

"Naively, the founder of the Franciscans of the Immaculata responded," says Tosatti, that he can not provide anything because he has nothing. The above-mentioned assets are not subject to his authority, but to that of the lay associations.

Father Manelli evidently did not see through the "trap" which had been made for him with the renewal of his loyalty first and then the money demand. Maybe he's just too honest, too old or too tired to dodge the trappers with prudentia.

Tosatti wrote:

"Perhaps he would have done better to meet with the laity and to present the Vatican demand to them.The laity, who are not under obedience, would have made a decision. But he did not apply this ruse."

The "weapon of obedience" and an "act of disobedience"

His response is now interpreted by the Vatican as an act of disobedience to the Pope. With the letter one wants to turn him with a rope. In other words, in the Congregation of Religious, it is now believed that they have the occasion to impose sanctions against the founder in the Church. And all without being told by the Vatican why the Order is under commissionerial administration, and why Father Manelli was deposed as General-General.

In the Vatican, someone is obviously rubbing his hands. So far, the Congregation of Religious and Pope Francis have been wrong. In which state can sanctions be imposed without charges, without the possibility of defense and without a regular canonical procedure? Now, however, one must not talk about it any more, because one has the statement by Manelli, who answered truthfully, but not satisfactorily. Is this for an ecclesiastical condemnation? In the face of the bad experiences the Order has had to overcome for the last four years, no one in the Order would doubt it.

The real concern, however, is "'na roba", the property. Manelli is particularly stifled, because he can not "relinquish" the possession of valuable property. Legally, he is unquestionably in the right, which is why the Vatican operates the moral lever. The exact disposition of the lay associations are not known, but they can be seen. For a long time the hope existed (and perhaps still exists) that the Order of the Franciscans of the Immaculate could be reestablished in the bosom of the Pontifical Commission Ecclesia Dei, then it would have the means to continue its work blessedly. Such a new foundation has been prevented by the Vatican for four years. Yet another reason is not insignificant: it can be argued that the benefactors who have given the estate to the Order have left it to the Order founded by Father Manelli. Not to any order or in general "of the Church," but in a very particular order with a very definite charism. However, after four years of commissionership, it is no longer the same order.

"As a sidenote" it is also addressed, again to quote Marco Tosatti, "that it is more and more frequent that obedience is used as a weapon. Let us recall how Fra Matthew Festing, the Grand Master of the Order of Malta, was forced by the Pope to resign and sign a letter of doubtful content, by obedience. A bad habit, which is at the risk of becoming chronic ... "

Thursday, January 9, 2014

(Rome) A few days ago an article appeared in which the attempt was made ​​to rehabilitate the French Jesuit Teilhard de Chardin. The damning verdict of the CDF against the theologian is being played down there and dismissed as "controversial". The article did not appear in just any old daily newspaper, but in the Osservatore Romano. What does this have to do with the question of obedience? Does it follow from this article and its theories are to be even represented in the daily paper of the Vatican?

St. Thomas Aquinas drew a clear line between obedience and disobedience. Rightful obedience as a virtue he defined in the Summa Theologiae (II-II, q. 104-195), but he gives two reasons why one who is obligated to obey his superior might owe him no obedience.

The first reason is a statement by an even higher authority. In respect to this, the saint refers to Peter Lombard: When the Emperor commands something, but God the contrary, one must obey God, without regard to the Emperor.

The second reason is, if the supervisor commands something of his subordinate in areas where he may hold him subject. Thomas Aquinas concludes that the people in the inner motives of the will owe obedience to God alone.

The forces that Rouse the New Pontificate

Osservatore Romano published a long essay in its issue of 29 December 2013. "I study the matter and find the spirit" of Maurizio Gronchi, who attempts the rehabilitation of the thinking of Pierre Teilhard de Chardin, and thus seeks to annul the monitem by the CDF against the French Jesuits of 30 June 1962. Basically, there is no obligationof a daily newspaper to "obey" in its position, not even a Catholic newspaper. But with Osservatore Romano , things are a bit different because it is not just any daily newspaper. Based on the instructions of Blessed Pius IX., this is the only daily newspaper that is printed in the Vatican City State.

The chief editor is appointed directly by the Pope. Although the newspaper is not an official organ of the Holy See, but at least semi-official. It comes logically that the opinion expressed is that of the Holy See. Of course, the editors have more room for maneuver in the fields of culture, politics and economy. However, this freedom would be a seduction into error if on the pages of L'Osservatore Romano article were published things that contradict the faith of the Church, the Magisterium of the Church and tradition.

Rehabilitation Attempt of Teilhard de Chardin Against the Official Condemnation

In this specific case, it is not just about a purely hypothetical consideration. The article with the rehabilitation of Teilhard de Chardin also has its positive side: it provides the occasion to highlight the limits of obedience. Should anyone think that maybe in the desire for faithful obedience of Pope Francis and the Osservatore Romano, there is need to follow the thesis of the author, then he should also know that he is in this against the 1962 monitum pronounced by Blessed John XXIII. An official admonition that continues to have full force and effect.

The thing is so obvious that the journalist admits it openly and reproduces the admonition of the CDF, but referred to it as "controversial and painful." But anyone who follows such a judgment, speaks of not just any opinion but opposes in reality the papal Magisterium. The Monitus reads: "Certain works of Father Pierre Teilhard de Chardin, including some posthumous, are published and can not find the least benevolence. [...] In the philosophical and theological point of view it clearly recognizes that the said works contain dangerous ambiguities and serious errors which offend Catholic doctrine."

"Author on the Road to Apostasy"

Maurizio Gronchi doesn't even like the Magisterium of the Church, who praises Teilhard de Chardin to the skies, while "even leading the reader to error" ( Corrispondenza Romana ) by citing incomplete judgments against Jesuit or torn out of context . According to the author's thought, the Frenchman was not heretical, but had, at best, "some weaknesses and difficulties." The "dangerous ambiguities and serious errors" is an issue for Gronchi. In an article in the Osservatore Romano, a document of the Magisterium of the Church, adopted by the Congregation of the Faith, with the approval of the Pope, is referred to as "controversial and painful." "This means that the author is treading the path of apostasy already," says Corrispondenza Romana . In addition to that there is still the effusive praise for what has been explicitly condemned by the Magisterium.

The author thus lays claim to a wish to correct the Magisterium of the Church, and does so from the sides of the semi-official newspaper of the Vatican. Teihard de Chardin, who denies original sin and the distinction between matter and spirit represents, so says Gronchi, no "serious errors", but only tolerable "weaknesses and difficulties."

How Did the Article Appear in the Osservatore Romano ?

The backgrounds are unclear how it was possible that Gronchi could place his article in L'Osservatore Romano. The fact is that he is an example of where obedience is obligated to "disobedience": Whoever wants to be faithful to the Magisterium of the Church, must reject the published thesis of 29 December by Gronchi in the Osservatore Romano.

Maurizio Gronchi is a priest of the diocese of Pisa, Professor of Christology at the Theological Faculty of the Pontifical Urban University in Rome and Consultor the CDF .

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Purpose

This is a polemical Catholic Royalist blog. It will also attempt to provide a window onto various events, situations and personalities not generally or favorably presented to the purview of the general public in the English speaking world. It also hopes to be a bridge for those who wish to cross over, unite and fight for the truth.